Your airline must rebook you or refund your ticket

When a flight is cancelled, the airline is required by law to give you a choice: rebook you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost, or refund your ticket price. You do not have to accept the first rebooking offer, especially if it arrives much later than your original flight or requires an inconvenient connection. The airline must also cover meals and hotel stays if the cancellation forces you to stay overnight, as long as the cancellation was not caused by weather or other circumstances outside the airline's control.

The refund must be issued in the same form as your original payment—if you paid by credit card, the refund goes back to that card. If you bought through a travel agent or third-party booking site, you may need to request the refund through them rather than directly from the airline, though the airline remains responsible for issuing it. Some airlines try to offer travel credits instead of cash refunds; you can refuse and insist on a refund to your original payment method.

Key Takeaways

  • The airline must rebook you on the next available flight at no cost or refund your full ticket price—you choose which option.
  • If the cancellation requires an overnight stay, the airline must pay for a hotel and meals unless weather or a security issue caused the cancellation.
  • Refunds must go back to your original payment method, not as a travel credit, unless you agree to the credit.
  • Keep your booking confirmation, cancellation notice, and any receipts for meals or hotels to document your claim if the airline resists.
  • International flights have additional protections under European and other regulations that may may have access to you to compensation beyond the refund.

When the airline must pay for hotels and meals

If your flight is cancelled and you cannot reach your destination the same day, the airline must cover the cost of a hotel room for the night and reasonable meals while you wait. This obligation applies to cancellations caused by mechanical problems, crew scheduling failures, or overbooking—situations the airline controls. It does not explore if the cancellation was caused by weather, a security threat, air traffic control delays, or other circumstances genuinely outside the airline's control.

The airline is not required to book the hotel for you; you can book it yourself and submit the receipt for reimbursement. Keep all receipts, including meal costs. Most airlines will reimburse reasonable expenses without argument, but if yours refuses, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation, which tracks these disputes. The airline must also provide you with a phone call, email, or text message to inform you of the cancellation and your rebooking options—they cannot straightforward post it on their website and assume you saw it.

How to get a refund instead of a rebooking

Tell the airline directly that you want a refund, not a rebooking. You can do this at the ticket counter, by phone, or through the airline's website or app. Put your request in writing—email works—so you have a record. The airline may try to pressure you into accepting a travel credit or a rebooking on a flight days later; you can refuse both and demand the refund.

If the airline delays issuing the refund, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation using their online form at dot.gov. Include your booking confirmation number, the cancellation notice, and the date you requested the refund. The DOT tracks complaints and can fine airlines that systematically refuse refunds. You can also dispute the charge with your credit card company if the airline does not refund within a reasonable time—most card companies will reverse the charge and investigate.

What to do if you are rebooked on a much later flight

If the airline rebooks you on a flight that departs more than a few hours after your original flight, you have the right to refuse and request a refund instead. There is no specific legal definition of "too late," but if the rebooking arrives at your destination more than three or four hours after your original arrival time, most airlines will accept a refund request without argument. If they refuse, document the original flight time, the rebooking time, and your request for a refund, then file a DOT complaint.

Some airlines will rebook you on a competitor's flight if their own schedule does not work. If they offer this, accept it—it is faster than waiting for a refund. Make sure the new airline knows you are a standby passenger from a cancelled flight; this usually moves you up the priority list. If the airline rebooks you on a flight that requires you to pay extra for a better seat or checked bags, ask them to waive those fees since the cancellation was not your fault. Many will do so without argument.

International flight cancellations and extra compensation

If your cancelled flight was departing from Europe, or was a European airline flying anywhere, you may be may have access to to compensation beyond the refund under European Union Regulation 261/2004. This rule requires airlines to pay you €250 to €600 depending on the flight distance, unless the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances like severe weather or a security threat. The compensation is separate from the refund—you get both.

Other countries have similar rules. Canada requires compensation for cancellations within the airline's control. The United States does not mandate compensation for cancellations (only for overbooking), but some states like New York are moving toward requiring it. Check the rules for the country where your flight departed or the airline's home country. If you are may have access to to compensation, you can claim it directly from the airline or use a third-party service that handles the claim for a percentage of the payout.

How to document your cancellation for a complaint or claim

Save everything: your original booking confirmation, the cancellation notice (screenshot it if it is online), your boarding pass, receipts for any meals or hotels the airline paid for or you paid for yourself, and any written communication with the airline. Take a photo of the departure board showing "cancelled" next to your flight number. If you had to buy a new ticket on another airline to reach your destination, keep that receipt too—you may be able to recover the cost if the original airline caused the cancellation.

Write down the date and time of the cancellation, the reason the airline gave (if any), and the names of any airline staff you spoke with. If you file a DOT complaint or a claim for compensation, you will need these details. The DOT complaint form is free and takes about ten minutes; you can file it months after the cancellation if needed. Airlines respond to DOT complaints within 30 days, and the agency publishes complaint data, which creates pressure on airlines to resolve disputes quickly.

What happens if the airline cancels your flight twice

If the airline rebooks you and then cancels that flight too, you have the same rights again: another rebooking or a refund. Some passengers have experienced three or four cancellations in a row during severe weather or operational crises. After the second cancellation, you are may have access to to refuse any further rebooking and demand a full refund, even if the airline claims the second cancellation was also caused by weather. At that point, the airline should have found you an alternative route or refunded you after the first cancellation.

If you end up stranded for multiple days, document every expense: hotels, meals, ground transportation, and any new tickets you buy on other airlines. Submit all receipts to the airline with a written claim. If they refuse to reimburse, file a DOT complaint and consider small claims court for expenses under your state's limit (usually $5,000 to $10,000). Airlines often settle these claims rather than appear in court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to accept the airline's first rebooking offer?

No. You can refuse any rebooking that is inconvenient and request a refund instead, or ask for a different flight. The airline must rebook you on the next available flight, but if that flight is days away or requires a long connection, you can insist on a refund or a better option.

Can the airline give me a travel credit instead of a refund?

Only if you agree to it. The airline must offer you a refund to your original payment method. If you accept a travel credit, you cannot later change your mind and demand cash back. Read any terms before accepting a credit—some expire after a year or have blackout dates.

What if the airline says weather caused the cancellation?

Weather is one of the few reasons an airline does not have to pay for hotels or meals. However, you still have the right to a refund or rebooking. If you believe the airline is lying about the weather (for example, if the weather was minor), you can file a DOT complaint and include weather reports from that day. The DOT investigates these claims.

How long does it take to get a refund?

The airline must process refunds within seven business days, though many take longer. If more than two weeks pass, contact the airline again in writing and file a DOT complaint. You can also dispute the charge with your credit card company if the airline does not refund within 30 days.

Can I claim compensation if the cancellation was weather?

In the United States, no—weather is considered an extraordinary circumstance and exempts the airline from paying compensation. In Europe and Canada, the same exemption applies. However, you still get a refund or rebooking. If you believe the airline mishandled the situation (for example, by not rebooking you promptly), you can file a complaint.